Method and Apparatus for Displaying Active Operating System Environment Data with a Plurality of Concurrent Operating System Environments

ABSTRACT

A method of operation generates live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment and generates overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel. The overlay display data is overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment. The method may also include generating at least one active application window as a portion of the live wallpaper display data. The embodiments disclosed include an apparatus that performs the above outlined method. The apparatus includes multi-environment display data handling logic, operative to generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment. The multi-environment display data handling logic generates overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, which is then overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is related to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. CS39606, “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING DATA FROM A PLURALITY OF CONCURRENT OPERATING SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTS,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. CS39608, “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION BETWEEN OPERATING SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTS,” both of which are assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to operating systems and operating system environments.

BACKGROUND

Various operating systems provide features and applications that are often specific to the given operating system. For this reason, it has become useful for computing devices, including handheld mobile devices, to be capable of running more than one operating system environment. By running more than one operating system environment on a device, users are able to access the features and applications associated with each of the operating system environments, thereby enhancing the capabilities and functions of the device.

In the past, virtualization techniques have been used to accomplish running multiple operating system environments; however such approaches require emulation of an entire machine which is resource intensive. Systems have now been developed that enable actual running of multiple operating system environments without the need for such resource intensive machine emulation. Such systems utilize a common kernel where the operating system environments may be considered middleware, in that, some services related to the various applications may be supported within the confines of the environment. Therefore, in these systems, the operating system environments co-exist independently, and do not require virtualization as in the past. Devices supporting these multiple environments therefore enable users to access and enjoy the features of the operating systems and their associated data such as applications.

Nevertheless, some demarcation between the operating system environments must exist for the purpose of presentation to the device user. The environments usually provide their own unique approach to how associated data is displayed by the operating system. In some cases, the user may be compelled to switch display views in order to work with one or another operating system environment. Being forced to switch views in this manner negatively impacts user experience because the work or operating contexts in which the user was engaged can be lost or muddled among the various views. Furthermore, any given operating system environment will not understand, and therefore will be incapable of interpreting, data associated with a different operating system environment and any associated data or working context.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile device display with a display image having live or active image content associated with a first operating system environment.

FIG. 2 is block diagram of a display having a combined image where the display data of a first operating system is displayed as active or live wallpaper, and display data of a second operating system is shown hovering above, or overlaying, the live wallpaper, in accordance with the embodiments.

FIG. 3 is diagram of an apparatus with a plurality of operating system environments, a single kernel and multi-environment display data handling logic in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is flow chart illustrating high level operation of the embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating details of one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating position input handling on the combined image display, while maintaining the live wallpaper, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating further details of operation in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The various embodiments disclosed provide an enhanced user experience when using multiple operating system environments having a common kernel. The embodiments combine the graphical display data from one operating system environment with the graphical display data from at least a second operating system environment to create a combined graphical display. For example, in one embodiment, a mobile device home screen of a first operating system environment is displayed as active or live wallpaper, and display data from a second operating system environment is handled as overlay data that hovers above the live wallpaper. In this example, when the user moves image objects of the second operating system environment over live wallpaper objects, the active or live state of the live wallpaper objects is preserved. Also, if the user switches between workspaces, the live wallpaper is maintained, which results in a smoother and more consistent user experience in working with the two operating system environments

The disclosed embodiments provide a method that includes generating live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment; and generating overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment. The overlay display data is overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment to create a combined display image. Both operating system environments of the method utilize a common kernel. The method may include generating at least one active application window as a portion of the live wallpaper display data. The at least one active application window is a window image object associated with an application of the first operating system environment.

The method may also include generating a plurality of widget windows as a portion of the live wallpaper display data. The widget windows are widget image objects associated with the first operating system environment. The method will then generate at least one active application window from the second operating system environment, as a portion of the overlay display data.

The user may interact with the combined display as a graphical user interface. For example, the method obtains position input corresponding to positional movement of the at least one active application window, generates real time overlay display data updates corresponding to the positional movement, and maintains any active widget portions of the live wallpaper in an active state, even if covered over by the overlay display data. In other words, the active or live background, that is, the live wallpaper, remains active even when the second operating system environment is in use.

The method may employ, for example, the Android™ operating system as the first operating system that generates the live wallpaper, and a Linux® based operating system environment as the second operating system environment. However, any of various operating system environments may be used in accordance with the embodiments, such as, but not limited to, Android™, Linux®, Ubuntu®, etc.

The method may also include displaying, on a display, the live wallpaper display data. Accordingly, the overlay display data of the second operating system environment may include at least one application window overlaying the live wallpaper and covering a portion of the live wallpaper.

The embodiments disclosed include an apparatus that performs the above outlined method. The apparatus includes multi-environment display data handling logic, operative to generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment. The multi-environment display data handling logic generates overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, which is then overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment.

The multi-environment display data handling logic is also operative to generate at least one active application window, associated with the first operating system environment, as a portion of the live wallpaper display data. For example, the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to generate a plurality of widget windows as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, and generate at least one active application window as a portion of the overlay display data. The at least one active application window may associated with the second operating system environment, and the plurality of widget windows may be associated with the first operating system environment.

The multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to obtain position input corresponding to positional movement of the at least one active application window, generate real time overlay display data updates corresponding to the positional movement, and maintain any active widget portions of the live wallpaper in an active state, even if covered over by the overlay display data.

The apparatus may include a display, operatively coupled to the multi-environment display data handling logic. The display is operative to display the live wallpaper display data, and the overlay display data.

Another disclosed embodiment is a computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory that stores executable instructions for execution on at least one processor. The instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment, and generate overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, with both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel. The instructions may also cause the at least one processor to overlay the overlay display data on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment to create a combined display image.

Turning now to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like components, FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile device 101, which includes an integrated display 103. The integrated display 103, displays live wallpaper 105, which is a display background image shown as a dotted line around the perimeter of the display 103. The mobile device 101 may also be capable of displaying various home screens that provide for organization of application icons 107. The home screens may allow the user to launch an application within the perimeter of the home screen, by, for example, clicking a mouse cursor or by using a touch screen, to provide selection input to select and activate a desired application icon. Additionally, scrolling to another home screen may also allow scrolling between such launched applications. In any case, the live wallpaper 105, is associated with a first operating system environment, and may provide active image content. For example, a widget 109 may provide real time information to the user. One example of a widget 109 is a clock widget which provides the time. The home screens, and/or visual image objects such as the icon 107 objects or widget 109 objects present in a home screen, may be moved about using a graphical user interface (GUI), that may include touch screen functionality, a track ball, or any other suitable user interface for selecting and moving image objects. The background image, which is the live wallpaper 105, remains active during any user interactions. In other words, the live wallpaper 105 may be viewed as a representation of the associated first operating system environment, which may be a Linux® based operating system environment such as, but not limited to, Android™, Ubuntu®, etc.

In accordance with some embodiments, the mobile device 101 may interact with another display 201, which may be a larger display, as shown in FIG. 2. The larger display 201 may provide an enhanced user experience by allowing the user of mobile device 101 to have better a better view of various applications, etc. For example, the larger display 201 may display various icons 211, widgets 207, 209, application windows 213, 215, and a toolbar 205. In accordance with the embodiments, the display image may include a background image, referred to herein as live wallpaper 203. The live wallpaper 203 is associated with a first operating system environment of mobile device 101. In accordance with the embodiments, some of the image objects displayed on (or hovering over) the live wallpaper 203, may be associated with a second, third, etc., operating system environment. The mobile device 101 may use one or more operating system environments together, or launch additional operating system environments as needed. Therefore, the display 201 may display a combined image providing information from one or more operating system environments. In the example of FIG. 2, the live wallpaper 203, icons 211, and widgets 207, 209, are associated with a first operating system environment of the mobile device 101. The toolbar 205 and application window 213 and 215, are associated with a second operating system environment. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2, the application windows 213 and 215 are overlaid on, or in other words, hover over, the live wallpaper 203 of the first operating system environment.

The term “display” as used herein refers to a device that displays “display data” to form an image or images, such as, but not limited to, a picture, a computer desktop, a gaming background, a video, an application window etc. Examples of a display include a television, computer monitor, etc., or an integrated display as found in electronic devices such as a laptop computer, handheld computing device, mobile telephone, PDA, etc. The display device may employ any appropriate display technology, such as for example, a CRT, LCD flat panel, LED flat panel, plasma screen, etc.

The terms “screen,” “home screen,” and “workspace” are used interchangeably in reference to an “image” which refers generally to what is “displayed” on a display. That is, an image, including a “screen,” “home screen,” and/or “workspace” may be displayed on a display. Examples of images include, but are not limited to, a computer desktop (i.e. a background), a gaming background, a video, an application window, an icon, a widget, etc., including also the active or live wallpaper described herein. In other words, the term “image” may refer to a background, or may refer individually, or collectively, to elements or objects in the foreground, of hovering over, a background image such as the live wallpaper. The term “display data” is used interchangeably herein with the term “image data” and refers to the information (data, or digital information) that the display interprets and/or decodes to show (i.e. to display) the user an image such as a workspace or home screen, as well as any associated elements or objects in the foreground of home screens or workspaces, or the live wallpaper, etc.

FIG. 2 illustrates some of the various advantages of the herein disclosed embodiments. In the example of FIG. 2, the display 201 displays a combined image that includes display data from a first operating system environment and a second operating system environment. A live wallpaper 203 is displayed that represents the first operating system environment and is active or “live,” in that, real time operating system information may be provided. In one example, an active or live widget 207, associated with the first operating system environment may provide real time information to the user. An example of an active or live widget is a clock application that provides the time. As shown in FIG. 2, an application window 213 associated with a second operating system environment may be positioned, and/or moved by the user on and about the live wallpaper 203. In the example of FIG. 2, the application window 213 is shown hovering above a live widget 207 as well as various other widgets 209 that are associated with the first operating system environment. In accordance with the embodiments, the live widget 207 and any of the other widgets 209 that are active or “live,” would remain in an active state, even if covered over by images associated with the second operating system. That is, the live widget 207 will remain active even though the application window 213 is in “focus,” i.e. is active and being used, and partially (or completely) covers over the widget 207 image as shown in FIG. 2. Put another way, the first operating system environment, as represented by the live wallpaper 203, is always running behind the second (or any other) operating system environment. The second operating system environment may be interacted with through windows such as application windows 213 and 215. These windows are resizable by the user as illustrated by window 213 which is expanded versus window 215 which is shown reduced in size, on the display.

As mentioned briefly above, the mobile device 101 first operating system environment may provide various “home screens” that enable the user to organize application icons 107 and widgets 109. In other words, various icons and widgets may be distributed between various home screens. The live wallpaper 105 as shown in FIG. 1, may include home screen objects (i.e. icons 107 and widget 109), that are associated with one of several home screens. In one embodiment, the combined image displayed on display 201, will include all icons, widgets, etc., from all of the home screens. For example, icons 211 and widgets 207, 209 are shown collectively on the combined image displayed on display 201. However, if displayed on the integrated display 103 of the mobile device 101, the icons 211 and widgets 207, 209 would be distributed according to their corresponding home screens as configured by the mobile device 101 user.

In another embodiment, the home screens of the first operating system environment may be mapped to workspaces of the second operating system environment. In this example, the live wallpaper 203, as illustrated generally by the dotted line within the perimeter of the display 201, may show a home screen of the first operating system environment. In this example, only the icons 211 and widgets 207, 209 that the user associated with the displayed home screen would be displayed. Likewise, the windows 213 and 215 may be associated with a workspace of the second operating system, and that workspace may be mapped with the given home screen. In this case, only windows for the given workspace would be shown, along with image objects for the mapped home screen. That is, the combined display may show only those image objects which the user associated with the mapped workspace/home screen. The user may switch (i.e. toggle), or scroll, away from one workspace/home screen, and back again to, for example, the workspace/home screen of the combined image shown in FIG. 2. However, in any of these examples, the live wallpaper 203 remains active. In another embodiment, active widgets, such as widget 207 remain fixed to the live wallpaper 203. In this case, the workspace/home screens may be viewed as hovering above the live wallpaper 203 and any fixed active widgets.

Among the advantages of the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 2, user experience is enhanced because user access to icons and widgets of the first operating system environment is simplified when utilizing multiple operating system environments.

Further details of the various embodiments are best understood with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 300 in accordance with various embodiments. For example, the apparatus 300 may include a mobile device 301 operatively connected via a communication bus 329 to a peripheral device 327 that may include a display 325. The mobile device 301 includes programmable processor 303 (i.e. a CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) 315, which are operatively coupled via a communication bus 313. The communication bus 313 may run throughout the mobile device 301, providing operative coupling to the various components and circuitry contained within the mobile device 301. Therefore, in accordance with embodiments, device components, circuitry, and the like, may be operatively coupled via the communication bus 313. In other words, various intervening device components, circuitry, and the like, may exist in between, and/or along, the communication path between any two or more operatively coupled components. As shown in FIG. 3, the programmable processor 303 is operatively coupled by the communication bus 313 to memory 311 and to a user interface (UI) 323. The memory 311 is in turn operatively coupled, via the communication bus 313, to hardware 319 that drives an integrated display 321. The integrated display 321 is operatively coupled to hardware 319 via the same communication bus 313. The display 321 serves as a graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile device 301. Therefore, the display 321 also interfaces with, and is operatively coupled to, the programmable processor 303 via the communication bus 313 as part of the UI 323. The UI 323 may include a track ball mouse, touch sensitive elements, physical switches, gyroscopic position sensors, etc. The display 321 may provide a touchscreen functionality that is also therefore operatively coupled, via the communication bus 313, to the user interface 323. That is, the display 321 may provide a graphical user interface with touchscreen capability in addition to cursor control click to provide selection input and/or drag and drop input functionality.

In accordance with the embodiments, the programmable processor 303 may run various operating system environments 307, such as operating system environment 1, operating system 2 environment, and so on through an N-th operating system environment. In other words, the programmable processor 303 is operative to run one or more of the various operating system environments 307, concurrently. The plurality of operating system environments 307 are each completely autonomous and can exist and function independently from one another. One or more of the operating system environments may be run concurrently, and each operating system environment utilizes a common kernel 305. In other words, each one of the operating system environments is completely autonomous and may exist and function completely independently, without any of the other operating system environments being executed. The operating system environments provide “environments,” in that, for example, all necessary libraries, toolkits, windowing, etc., is present within the environment to enable an application associated with the operating system environment to function. The common kernel 305 provides fundamental interaction at the hardware level of mobile device 301. For example, the common kernel 305 may provide required operating system tasks such as program loading, system resource allocation, handling device input and output, and some memory management functions. The common kernel 305 may be created as an object-oriented design that can interface, and enable communication with, programming objects within the various operating system environments 307.

Examples of operating system environments include, but are not limited to, Android™, Ubuntu®, other Linux® based operating systems, etc. In one example embodiment, the mobile device 301 may be connected to the peripheral device 327 by way of a docking port that provides the communication bus 329. In this example, the mobile device 301 display data may be shown on display 325 which may be larger in dimensions than the integrated display 321.

In accordance with the various embodiments, the apparatus 300 includes multi-environment display data handling logic 309. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may be contained within one or more of the various operating system environments 307. However, for the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the first operating system environment is shown as including the multi-environment display data handling logic 309. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may also exist independently from any of the operating system environments in some embodiments. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 is operatively coupled to the memory 311 and also to the GPU 315 via communication path 317 which may be implemented over the internal communication bus 313. Therefore the communication path 317 is a schematic representation of a communication path between the multi-environment display handling logic 309 and the memory 311 and GPU 315, and may be implemented via any suitable communication pathway. That is, it is to be understood that the operating system environment that includes the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 achieves the objectives of the embodiments by communicating with the GPU 315 and memory 311 via the communication bus 313. In accordance with various embodiments, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 combines display data from at least a first operating system environment and a second operating system environment. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 generates live wallpaper image data corresponding to the first operating system environment (i.e. op system 1 environment in FIG. 3), and handles image data from the other operating system environments as overlay image data, that hovers above the live wallpaper image. In some embodiments, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may also combine into a workspace of the second operating system environment, display data associated with a corresponding home screen of the first operating system environment, to achieve the combined display.

The term “logic” as used herein may include software and/or firmware executing on one or more programmable processors (including CPUs and/or GPUs), and may also include ASICs, DSPs, hardwired circuitry (logic circuitry), or combinations thereof. For the example embodiment illustrated by FIG. 3, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may be executable instructions stored in memory 311, which is a non-volatile, non-transitory memory. Furthermore, the operating system environments 307, and the kernel 305, may also consist of executable instructions that are executed by the programmable processor 303, and that are stored in memory 311 for access by the programmable processor 303 as necessary. In some embodiments, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may be object oriented software or firmware that is executed by processor 303 only when more than one operating system environment is executed by the processor 303.

Although the example provided by FIG. 3 illustrates the operating system environments, kernel 305 and multi-environment display data handling logic 309 as executed by the programmable processor 303, which is located on the mobile device 301, this functionality may also be, partially or collectively, alternatively located within the peripheral device 327. In other words either the peripheral device 327 or the mobile device 301 may contain some of, all of, or various components of, the logic and other functionality described with respect to FIG. 3 and would still remain in accordance with the embodiments herein disclosed. In other words, an apparatus in accordance with the embodiments may be the apparatus 300, or may be the mobile device 301 individually, or the peripheral device 327 individually.

As mentioned briefly above, in some embodiments, the apparatus 300 may include the peripheral device 327 which may further have a docking station, such that the mobile device 301 may be docked within the peripheral device 327 and obtain the benefit of the larger display 325 as well as other possible peripherals. One example of such an apparatus is the Motorola Lapdock® product.

Although the communication bus 329, which may be any appropriate interface, is shown connected directly to the larger display 325, it is to be understood that various other hardware and components may exist in the peripheral device intervening between the hardware 319 and the display 325. In other words, FIG. 3 is an example diagram and is not to be construed as a complete schematic diagram of a particular implementation of either a mobile device or the peripheral device. FIG. 3 provides an example only and for the purpose of describing to those of ordinary skill how to make and use the various embodiments. Therefore FIG. 3 is limited to showing only those components necessary to describe the features and advantages of the various embodiments to those of ordinary skill. It is to be understood that various other components, circuitry, and devices may be necessary in order to implement a complete functional apparatus and that those various other components, circuitry, devices, etc., are understood to be present by those of ordinary skill.

In some embodiments, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may also map home screens of the first operating system environment to workspaces of the second operating system environment to obtain the combined image, which may be displayed on display 321, or on the larger display 325 of the peripheral device 327. In one example embodiment, the first operating system environment may be an Android™ operating system environment that provides various home screens. The second operating system environment maybe a Linux® based operating system environment that includes workspaces. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may, in this case, create a mapping between the home screens of the first operating system environment and the workspaces of the second operating system environment to create the combined image. However, in this example, the mapped home screen/workspaces are handled as overlay display data, that overlays the live wallpaper 203. Additionally, some portions of the home screen display data may be fixed to the live wallpaper 203. As mentioned above, a live widget 209, which may provide real time data, may be fixed to the live wallpaper 203. In other words, various mapped home screen/workspaces may hover above the live wallpaper 203 and any fixed live widgets that are fixed in place on the live wallpaper 203. The overlay display data may be handled similar to display data for overlaid windows (i.e. cascading windows), where windows may be arranged in a manner in which they overlap one another. However, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may handle the display data for the live wallpaper as real time data, along with display data from other operating system environments.

The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may handle display data from any of the operating system environments 307, and send data to shared memory space of memory 311, to the GPU 315, or combinations of both as appropriate. For example, in one embodiment the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may determine which of the first display data or the second display data should be transparent and which should be opaque, etc., and accordingly provide the configured combined display data to a shared memory space contained within memory 311. In some instances, the first (or other) operating system environment may be called upon to perform graphically intensive application activity such as for example displaying video. In those instances, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may pass first display data and/or second display data to the GPU 315 to more efficiently handle video data processing. In other words, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 makes decisions related to the first display data and second display data, from the corresponding first operating system environment and second operating system environment (or N-th display data from the N-th operating system environment), and acts accordingly to utilize either shared memory space of the memory 311, or interact with the GPU 315 to achieve the combined image. In one example, the second display data associated with the second operating system environment may be handled as overlay data with respect to the first display data associated with the first operating system environment which corresponds to the live wallpaper 203. The multi-environment display data handling logic 309 may also handle graphics information in various formats. For example, GDK (GIMP Drawing Kit) information may be used by one or more operating system environments, while JAVA graphics objects may be used by others. In accordance with the embodiments, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 utilizes shared memory space of memory 311 to handle various graphics objects, and/or other such display data, accordingly, by for example, changing or adjusting object properties.

Important to understand is that some graphical objects may be afforded various attributes including, but not limited to, state attributes that determine a live or active status of an object, or data displayed by the object. One example is the live widget 207, which may be an image object that provides real time information. In accordance with the embodiment, such image object state information is preserved, such that the real time information is accordingly shown on the live wallpaper 203. For example, turning briefly to FIG. 2, the image object 207 may be a widget associated with the first operating system environment that provides real time information. An example of such a widget is a clock application that shows current time. In accordance with the embodiments, the clock widget would remain active, even while the user interacts with another visual image object, such as window 213, associated with the second operating system environment. As shown, the image object, window 213, may partially, or completely, obscure the widget 207 from view. The widget 207 nevertheless remains in an active state, that is, live, in conjunction with the live wallpaper 203.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the use may also switch to a new workspace or home screen, (i.e. a mapped workspace/home screen in some embodiments). Upon switching back to the current workspace/home screen the clock widget would have remained in operation and be shown in its current state (i.e. showing the current time). The widget 207 may also remain fixed in position on the live wallpaper 203 such that it does not move with the workspace/home screens.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts illustrating high level operation of the various embodiments. For example, in 401, the programmable processor may generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system. As shown in 402, overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment is generated for overlay onto the live wallpaper. Turning to FIG. 5, in 501 at least one active application window or widget associated with the first operating system environment may be generated, as a portion of the live wallpaper display data. In 502, at least one application window associated with the second operating system environment may be generated as a portion of the overlay display data.

FIG. 6 illustrates high level operation of handling of GUI input with respect to the live wallpaper and overlay data. In 601, position input corresponding to positional movement of an active application window of the second operating system environment is obtained. This operation may be performed by the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 in some embodiments. The operation may be performed in conjunction with the kernel 305. In 603, real time overlay display data updates are generated that correspond to the positional movement. In other words, the users can click and drag an image object across the combined image and see the object movement. In 605, any active widget portions of the live wallpaper are maintained in an active or live state, even if covered over partially or completely by the overlay display data.

FIG. 7 provides further details of methods of operation in accordance with the embodiments. The method of operation begins in block 700. In 701, display data from a first operating system environment is obtained, and live wallpaper display data is generated accordingly, as shown in 703. This operation may be performed by the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 in some embodiments. In one embodiment, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309 is implemented as executable instructions, and therefore the operations may also be considered as being performed by a programmable processor, such as, for example, processor 303 shown in FIG. 3.

In 705, display data is obtained from the second operating system environment, for example, from workspaces. In 707, the multi-environment display data handling logic 309, determines the overlay display data and corresponding transparency portions and accordingly accesses shared memory space, or the GPU, in 709. The display data is then send to the display hardware as shown in 711. The user may then interact with the displayed image as a GUI as illustrated by blocks 713 through 719. That is, user input is detected in 713 and the input event is handled in 715. This operation may involve the common kernel 305, and also the multi-environment display data handling logic 309. Input associated with the first operating system environment is handled as shown in 719, while input associated with the second operating system environment is handled as shown in 717. Display data updates are handled accordingly in blocks 701 and 705, for the first and second operating system environments, respectively.

Among other advantages of various embodiments disclosed herein, the user experience is enhanced when accessing application data or other data using one or more operating system environments. Although the embodiments have been described using examples related to two operating system environments, the various embodiments are not limited to only two operating system environments and can incorporate many operating system environments as illustrated by the plurality of operating system environments 307 shown in FIG. 3. Therefore the multi-environment display handling logic 309, in accordance with the embodiments, may handle display data from any number of operating system environments, where the operating system environments all utilize the common kernel 305. Returning briefly to FIG. 2, the icons 211 shown on the combined image may be associated with a single operating system environment, or maybe related to various operating system environments. Likewise the visual image objects, such as application window 213, and the window 215, may be associated with any of a number of operating system environments in accordance with various embodiments herein disclosed. The first operating system environment will correspond to the live wallpaper 203, with any other operating system environments in use being displayed as overlay data, such as window 213 which hovers above the live wallpaper.

The various embodiments also include computer readable memory that may contain executable instructions, for execution by at least one processor, that when executed, cause the at least one processor to operate in accordance with the multi-environment display handling logic 309 functionality herein described. The computer readable memory may be any suitable non-volatile, non-transitory, memory such as, but not limited to, programmable chips such as EEPROMS, flash ROM (thumb drives), compact discs (CDs) digital video disks (DVDs), etc., that may be used to load executable instructions or program code to other processing devices or electronic devices such as those that may benefit from the features of the herein described embodiments. The executable instructions may also include the various operating system environments and the common kernel.

While various embodiments have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: generating live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment; and generating overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other, both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising: generating at least one active application window as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the at least one active application window associated with an application of the first operating system environment.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprising: generating a plurality of widget windows as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the plurality of widget windows associated with the first operating system environment; and generating at least one active application window as a portion of the overlay display data, the at least one active application window associated with the second operating system environment.
 4. The method of claim 3, comprising: obtaining position input corresponding to positional movement of the at least one active application window; generating real time overlay display data updates corresponding to the positional movement; and maintaining any active widget portions of the live wallpaper in an active state, even if covered over by the overlay display data.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating overlay display data associated with the second operating system environment, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment, comprises: generating overlay display data associated with a Linux® operating system environment as the second operating system environment.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein generating live wallpaper display data associated with the first operating system environment, comprises: generating live wallpaper display data associated with an Android™ operating system environment as the first operating system environment.
 7. The method of claim 1, comprising: displaying, on a display, the live wallpaper display data; and displaying, on the display, the overlay display data including at least one application window overlaying the live wallpaper and covering a portion thereof, the at least one application window associated with an application of the second operating system.
 8. An apparatus comprising: multi-environment display data handling logic, operative to: generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment; and generate overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other, with both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to: generate at least one active application window as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the at least one active application window associated with an application of the first operating system environment.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to: generate a plurality of widget windows as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the plurality of widget windows associated with the first operating system environment; and generate at least one active application window as a portion of the overlay display data, the at least one active application window associated with the second operating system environment.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to: obtain position input corresponding to positional movement of the at least one active application window; generate real time overlay display data updates corresponding to the positional movement; and maintain any active widget portions of the live wallpaper in an active state, even if covered over by the overlay display data.
 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to generate overlay display data associated with the second operating system environment, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment, by: generating overlay display data associated with a Linux® operating system environment as the second operating system environment.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the multi-environment display data handling logic is operative to generate live wallpaper display data associated with the first operating system environment, by: generating live wallpaper display data associated with an Android™ operating system environment as the first operating system environment.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising: a display, operatively coupled to the multi-environment display data handling logic, the display operative to: display the live wallpaper display data; and display the overlay display data including at least one application window overlaying the live wallpaper and covering a portion thereof, the at least one application window associated with an application of the second operating system.
 15. A computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, comprising: executable instructions for execution on at least one processor, that when executed cause the at least one processor to: generate live wallpaper display data associated with a first operating system environment; and generate overlay display data associated with a second operating system environment, the first and second operating system environments being independent from each other, with both operating system environments utilizing a common kernel, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment.
 16. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 15, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to: generate at least one active application window as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the at least one active application window associated with an application of the first operating system environment.
 17. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 15, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to: generate a plurality of widget windows as a portion of the live wallpaper display data, the plurality of widget windows associated with the first operating system environment; and generate at least one active application window as a portion of the overlay display data, the at least one active application window associated with the second operating system environment.
 18. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to: obtain position input corresponding to positional movement of the at least one active application window; generate real time overlay display data updates corresponding to the positional movement; and maintain any active widget portions of the live wallpaper in an active state, even if covered over by the overlay display data.
 19. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 15, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to generate overlay display data associated with the second operating system environment, the overlay display data to be overlaid on the live wallpaper of the first operating system environment, by: generating overlay display data associated with a Linux® operating system environment as the second operating system environment.
 20. The computer readable, non-volatile, non-transitory memory, of claim 19, wherein the executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to generate live wallpaper display data associated with the first operating system environment, by: generating live wallpaper display data associated with an Android™ operating system environment as the first operating system environment. 